Dantian Formation

A few days passed in silence after the introduction, I spent the time changing and moving furniture around the place making it more homely.

Eventually, an elder I recognized from the council came to my door.

"Here are the identification items, do try to not loose them yeah?"

"Thanks."

"No problem, oh right," The elder reached into his sleeve and pulled out a letter. "Here, it's basically a guide on dos and don'ts we heard the situation from the mistress. Don't worry too much, the sect can help you acclimate to the times."

"Thanks."

"Alright I'll see you in a bit."

"Ah wait."

"Yes?"

"Do you know if the sect has any formations in place?"

"Sorry, that's kinda outside my area. I only know of the Mana gathering array. You'd need to ask the master and mistress."

"Alright thanks."

"See you."

'I should focus on my cultivation for the next six months. The teaching should be easy.'

I made sure to lock the door and return to my room. There I had runes inscribed on the floor and walls around the center.

I sat in the middle of the formation and started circulating the cultivation manual master had given me.

I turned my mental sight into my body and a dark space opened up.

Within it, a ring made of complicated runes spun in place.

After reaching Grand mastery, I realized why the manual required such a level of control.

Each rune contained within the ring was extremely difficult to manifest and understand, by normal standards it took a decade to fully understand what a single rune did.

Though I had completed the entire ring in a year, the manual was something that was meant to be worked on for a life time.

Not only did the user need to have near complete understanding of the runes, they also needed to almost perfectly intertwine and connect the runes to each other.

The runes would connect to each other and eventually form a ring.

The runes not only contained their innate meanings, but also had my insights within them.

When I ran mana through, it would effectively deprive all the meanings the mana had turning it into a pure form of energy. The pure energy would then be tainted by the runes and my insights into a form of energy that would be designed for runic use.

Master had named the energy Runic Energy.

I looked at the ring for a moment as I relived the countless attempts I made before finally doing it right.

When I was done, I channeled the mana in the air into the ring. It took a while but eventually a drop of energy threatened to drop from the inside surface of the ring.

After a few more moments, multiple droplets of energy started to fall from the inside surface of the ring, however instead of falling downwards they were sucked into the middle of the ring.

It formed a slightly orange watery orb of energy. That wasn't enough to form a dantian however.

Concentrating on the task, I lost focus on the passing time as the mana around me quickly depleted. The runes around the room activate, sucking in mana and pushing the density of mana within the room to new heights.

The watery orb increased in size and so did the ring, it kept a set distance from the orb.

Eventually the orb stopped, the surface of the watery orb was uneven and waves spread throughout.

I stopped pushing mana into the ring and took control of the orb directly.

Controlling the orb, I induced a spin on to it turning faster and faster.

The orb eventually turned so fast, the center became a vaccum of space.

The surface of the orb started to crystalize from the pressure between my mental force and the pull of centrifugal force.

The spinning water underneath kept the crystal from having a rough surface and giving it beautiful swirling stripes.

When I was done, I could only look on in exhaustion. A translucent slightly orange brown orb sat in the dark space, a ring of runes around it.

With my final mental energy, I covered the entire orb in Mortal Flames holding on as long as I could before I passed out.

........

When Cyrus fell unconscious, the flame remained and served to harden the crystal walls of the dantian.

Soon after, the crystal orb was acknowledged as a true dantian. The mana around the room gushed towards it like never before.

The speed of which far surpassed Cyrus's own gathering.

The ring separated and expanded, forming a sort of dual layered shield around the dantian. The energy would get purified by the first and tainted by the second.

Soon, the dantian was full of Runic Energy waiting to be used.

........

When I woke up, I could feel the complex energy within me. The mana in the air felt so simple compared to the energy I contained.

I tested my new ki and found that runes that took some time before had quickened immensely. The energy suited my current self and moved fast enough, I think it could bring my Grand stage speed to another level.

The room started to feel a little stuffy with my new found energy so I left the house and decided to take a walk.

It was night time when I left and the stars shone brightly, despite the lack of street lights from before the night was not dark.

Walking around, I slowly let the energy loose allowing it to circulate freely across my body.

As I was born with a Mortal God body, I had no need to do foundation establishment. The level was meant to strengthen the body to withstand ki.

However that also meant that my body was not used to any amount of ki or energy, merely that it was hard and strong.

Circulating my new energy within would allow my body to become acclimated to it, letting the speed of energy flow within increase even further.

Though at this point, I was still too weak to fully use these gifts.

My power was strong enough yes, however my mental strength was not strong enough. I was unable to think as fast as my body or my energy moved.

And so they were limited by my inexperience.

As I continued to walk around the sect, I inspected the place.

I thought to form a shield array, with my new energy I would be able to form a shield that could reliably keep a golden core at bay.

Soul Formation cultivators were a little special and required runes that I had not yet understood.

Returning to my house with the information at hand, I brought out a piece of paper and started sketching a rough array.

I would bring the array to the sect master and ask for approval first. It's best to do things properly, wouldn't want them to think badly of me, it is their home too after all.

The next morning, after having a good rest I left my house towards the hall that I met the council. I honestly had little idea of where they could be, so I thought to check there first.

Sadly they were not there, but my hopes were quickly rekindled when the sound of explosion echoed from the gates.

I didn't hesitate and rushed towards the gates, on arrival, I saw the sect master standing alone in a field of swords.

Opposite him was a middle aged man, he wore a coat that would have covered his body if not for his raised hands. Guns hung by his hips, an insignia of a white wolf on his coat.

"Please! I don't want to fight! I just want to seek asylum!"

The master stared at the guy in silence, the mistress and the elders stood behind her waiting for a response.

The disciples started to flood in, all keeping quiet in the tense situation.

Seeing nothing change after a minute I got impatient and walked out the crowd.

"He-"

As I was about to call out the mistress grabbed onto my mouth and yanked me back.

"What are you doing?!" She whispered loudly into my ear.

"What? They're just standing there doing nothing. I'm getting bored of the situation."

"Are you a child?!"

"Maybe. Look why don't we take him in and question him?"

"Argh! Do you not see those guns?!"

"Well yeah then get him to give them up!"

"Like hell! Those guns are rigged to explode whenever he wants to!"

"Seriously? That's awesome!"

"Not awesome! It makes us unable to take those guns!"

"Oh please I could handle that. Give me a moment."

"You-"

Before Rina could retort I turned into fire and disappeared from her grasp. The fire of course did not burn her, a training that I underwent on the floating island included controlling my flames.

Of course I could only make my flames wholly harmful or not. I could not separate it but it was enough for now.

A moment later I returned to Rina's side, and just in time too.

The guy then started shouting.

"What did you do?!"

The master looked confused but didn't turn back, the mistress quickly demanded an explanation.

"I just went around and threw some runes, it'll block any and all electromagnetic signals other than visible light. It won't effect us too much... I think."

"You could do that?!"

"I couldn't. Now I can."

"Argh. You will explain later. Just sit still for now."

Rina then walked to David's side, the guy seeing this had his resolve tested. His hands were still in the air, but they were drooping.

Clearly he was starting to feel frightened.

Rina quickly whispered the gist to David and must've forgotten my name since he didn't even glance at me.

The field of swords than started to fade until the closest ones around David remained.

Rina then called out to him, "We ask that you leave your guns where you are and come here. Since you seek asylum we will not refuse you however you must follow by certain rules."

"Gladly! Gladly! Please."

The guy then very slowly lowered his hands, trying to show that he intended no harm. Grabbing the gun holsters by the barrel, he took them off his belt and laid them on the ground.

As he walked forward I suddenly noticed something, a weirdness in his gait. I expanded my physical senses of a mortal god.

Various sounds assaulted me but with the new energy, I extended a strand to my brain and quickly sorted them.

I quickly found something, every step the man took had a second echo to it. The echo was lighter, softer, it was as if a child was behind him.

Frowning, I secretly manifested a wind rune which blew strong wind towards the guy. His coat started to float and for a moment the kid appeared.

The man quickly responded and hugged the kid tightly, seemingly expecting an attack. However no one did anything.

I on the other hand, did.